baby tako bento

Hi bento pals! Another warm and beautiful weekend enjoyed here with deep blue skies and radiant maples, ginkgos and oaks flying their colorful leaf banners. A long walk around the neighborhood was rich with intense autumn colors...

For Monday's lunch, a simple bento with seasoned baby octopus from Hana Mart, an excellent Japanese market in D.C. we visited this weekend...

Stir-fried asparagus, buna shimeji mushrooms and yellow pepper with baby romaine and oba leaves for green contrast, and mandarin orange, blackberries and Granny Smith apple slices to finish the meal sweetly. I'm waiting for this persimmon to ripen...love the prettily shaped, embossed leaves on top!

Have a super week ahead!

golden november bento

Today's bento reflects amber-golden tones from the vibrant and mild November we've enjoyed thus far. Lunch features a curried chicken salad, bright with healthful turmeric and studded with almonds, pistachios and apples.

Thin slices of bright rainbow chard stems and edible viola blossoms accent the salad along with a "ginkgo" of tart Granny Smith apple. For more autumnal golden flavor, pureed Kabocha squash with ginger and some golden beet flowers. Yummy pumpkin-spice bread topped with cream cheese, pumpkin butter and pistachio surrounded by a "mosaic" of candied ginger and papaya pieces for dessert....

Lunch companion: a little Japanese owl!

Golden kitty reflects autumnal beauty...

Warm afternoon light shining through amber-toned trees

Have a great Thursday, friends!

thai duck fried rice bento

Hey bento pals! Monday's bento was inspired by Debra's yummy fried rice tutorial

over at Hapa Bento. My version contains a mix of colorful peppers, rainbow chard, scallion, egg and savory diced Thai-style ginger duck leftovers from a weekend meal out.

Brussels sprouts braised with maple syrup and shoyu and a radish sit atop the fried rice, Asian pear slices, crystallized ginger and a lady apple for dessert.

Speaking of ginger, we baked some spicy and sweet "Gingery Pumpkin Muffins" from the always delish and adorable (see the awesome sheep festival  pictures!) Open Mouth, Insert Cookie blog.

Have a wonderful week ahead, happy bentoing!